1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building construction and interior design, in particular to a foam faux tray ceiling system for new and existing homes.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional home ceiling is flat with a standard height of eight feet, although specialty ceilings may be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes to appeal to a particular buyer. Unfortunately, specialty ceilings, such as gabled or vaulted ceilings, are often much more expensive than a conventional ceiling, and the price is even higher when replacing an existing conventional ceiling with a specialty ceiling. The present invention teaches the use of ceiling forms to create the look of a particular type of specialty ceiling known in the trade as a tray ceiling, without the associated costs or need for construction expertise as is ordinarily required.
The present invention pertains to tray ceilings. A room with a tray ceiling has a vertical or angled edge soffit around its ceiling""s perimeter and a flat ceiling above that. Some have described a tray ceiling as resembling a room covered by an upside down tray. Presently, tray ceilings are created by cutting wallboard into shaped pieces and attaching the pieces with nails and plaster around the perimeter of an existing traditional ceiling. Molding pieces would then have to be placed along the internal edges of the wallboard to finish the look. The problem with this system is that cutting, shaping and hanging wallboard is a difficult and time consuming process. The average homeowner often lacks the skill and tools necessary to create a presentable tray ceiling with these traditional methods. Also, many homeowners do not have the strength to lift and handle large pieces of uncut wallboard.
There are a number of patents which disclose a variety of material which may be used as suspended ceiling tiles or as moldings attached to ceilings. None of the following patents disclosed the used of preformed, light weight, foam pieces to create a tray ceiling.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. RE37,436 to Santarossa teaches a method of manufacturing an elongated decorative molding having a decorative surface and a desired cross-sectional profile. The Santarossa patent describes moldings and does not suggest a system of interlocking foam tiles for creating a tray ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,235 to Miller et al. discloses a method of manufacture for textured surface panels and panel products made from gypsum fiberboard. This patent teaches forming shaped panels for ceilings but does not show a system of decorative edges and interconnecting pieces that allow for the easily assembly of a tray ceiling as in the present invention. In addition, elongated strips of gypsum fiberboard would be too heavy for convenient, one-person assembly to a ceiling to form a tray ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,514 to Herrmann discloses a ceiling tile system for providing a light-weight and easy-to-form interlocking plastic ceiling tile system for covering a ceiling. The tile in this patent are made of a very thin plastic sheeting capable of thermal vacuum forming to define reliefs in the sheeting. As such, the ceiling tiles described by Herrmann are not suitable to form a faux tray ceiling with a decorative interior edge, nor are they constructed of light weight foam.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention is a tray ceiling system comprising a plurality of elongated, prefabricated, polymer foam ceiling tiles. Each tile has a decorative surface, an opposing attachment surface, a inside edge, and outside edge, and two connecting edges. The inside edges face the interior of the ceiling and are smoothly finished into a decorative shape (bevel, cove, etc.), while the outside edge faces the wall and may either be a decorative bevel or be adapted for abutment to a wall. The connecting edges may be orthogonal to the length of the tile to form butt joints, or may be at a forty-five degree angle to the length of the tile to form miter joints. The tiles are elongated, preferably between eight and sixteen feet in length, and range in width preferably between six to eighteen inches. The tiles are made from a lightweight foam material, e.g., polyurethane, polystyrene, etc., so that the tiles may be easily installed on the ceiling.
When in use construction adhesive is applied to the attachment surface and the tiles are positioned around the perimeter of a ceiling. The mitered connection edges are positioned adjacent to one another thereby forming right angles that fit into the corners of the ceiling. The light weight of the tiles allows them to be easily manipulated and attached to the ceiling by one person. The smoothly finished inside and outside edges would eliminate the need for molding or for drywall tape and joint compound required to finish edges of drywall or wallboard ceiling tiles. Narrower tiles may be attached to wider tiles to create a stepped look.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a lightweight alternative to existing tray ceiling construction systems.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tray ceiling system that does not require more than an average amount of upper body strength to install.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a tray ceiling system that is easy to install by unskilled workers.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a tray ceiling system that can be installed without tools or with a minimum of simple tools.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.